Improvement in a billiard and bagatelle-table



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W. A.. eLgRK, -oFHBoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters PatentNo. 95,084, dated September 21, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT AIn' A BILLIABD AND BAGATELLE-TABLE.

The cheule referred to in thse Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

1'0 all persons to whomsthese.presents shall come;

Be it known that 'I,W. A. CLARK, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk,and State of Massachusettst have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tables; and thatthefollowing is a full and .exactdescription of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying platesof drawings.

The present invention consists` First, in so connecting a vtable-top,that is made in sections, `hinged orotherwise, susceptible of beingarranged, connected, and laid, or broughtinto the same horizontal planeor position, by either more or less of its section, as may be desired,to a supporting framework below, that the relative position of suchframework under the table-top cairbe changed, by sliding the one cn theother, to adapt it in position to produce the necessary supportlto thetable-top, as it is vlengthened or shortened,l or otherwise changed inits size, by opening fand closing one ormore of its several leaves.

Second, in combination with theabove, so construct-` ing the sections ofthe tableftop, that, when opened, they will present a surface having araised strip or bearing entirely around it, whereby the table is'susceptible of use, br.playing billiards thereon, or, if f properlyconstructed, withv concave sockets, and a circular edge at its end, fora bagatelle-board, or, if sluitably provided with wickets, &c., 'as-acroquet-board, lor for any other game which requires a surface similarlyprotected ar'ound its edges." l

Third, in the lcombination' with: a. table-top,l coustructed insections, having an interior depressed surface, of an end piece hingedto the supporting frame- \`vork,so that it can be swung up to close theopen rends of the top, when its sections are closed upon each other, orswung downto allow the top tn be `opened and extended; this hingedzendbeing held closed against the open ends ofthe top ,by a spring-catch,orv other means, arranged in any suitable manner Aand position` thereforl Fourth, in constructing` the interior'surface of the l table-top, atthe proper points, with sockets, open at the surface, but closed,partially, at or near the bot-v tom, for receiving plugs, Asuitablyformed, to have such surface to the table, either smooth and plain orprovided with depressions, according as the game to be played upon thetable may require; and also, in combination with the above, with adetachable curve-strip at one or both ends.

Fifth, in combination with the fourth part of my invention, soconstructing the plugs therein referred to,

that they can be adjusted, in height, in the sockets of the.table-surface, as maybe desired;

Sixth, in constructing the said plugs with a smooth vor. plain surfaceat one end', and a concave at the other.

Figure 3, a transverse vertical `section in plane of hne :t ze, fig. l;

Figure 4, a plan view of the table-top opened, and showing its thusexposed surface, constructed for the game of bagatelle;

Figure 5,-a longitudinal section through table-top when opened, showingmy invention, embraced in the `fourth and fifth parts; and

Figure 6, a view, in detaii, of a plug, constructed for being lengthenedand shortened, and provided with one end smooth and plain, and the otherconcave or hOllQ-W.' V

A, in the drawings, Arepresents a frame-work, consisting, in the presentinstance, of parallel side piecesl B, joined together, near their lowerends,by a bar or rail, C, and at their'upper ends attached to ahorizontal frame, D. This frame D consistsof sidelrails E E, end-bars EF, and au intermediate cross-piece, G, the whole being joined togetherin astrong and workmanlike manner.

On the upper side of the iame D, the table-top H,

constructed 4 as will 4be presently described, is placed and rests, andtosuch frame it is attached and con-- nected by means of strips, I,fastened to itsl under side, that are constructed"l at one edge, a, to'set over and beyond the inner edgeb of theside-rails. By thisconstruction and arrangemenn'while the top is fastened to the frame D,the one can be moved upon the other, in the direction of the length ofthe said siderails, as is obvious,l for adjusting the relative positionsof the top and under frame-work, tov giye the most proper support to thetop when extended, as will be' described A y The table-top H, in the'present instance, is constructed in three sections, J, K, Vand L, withthe first two, J and K, at on'e end, hinged together, so as to h eopened from and closed upon each other, and the remaining section Lhinged to one end of frame D, for

'being swung up into position against the hinged ends4 of the othersections, J and K, or relieved therefrom by swinging it down against theframe D.

l, a spring-catch, applied to section L, for fastening it against theends of the sections J and K,

The two sections J andK of thetop H are each l constructed upon theircontiguous sidesk or faces, when closed, with a raised strip or bearing,M, entirely v above described, the relative positions thereto of thesupporting frame-work below lis changed, so as to give support to thewhole, and hold the top trmly in posiltion, by moving the top upon' thesaid frame, or vice versa, bringing it to the position, or nearly so,shown in fig. I. by dotted lines.

I?, a series of sockets, made in interior surface Q of table-top, at oneend thereof.

These sockets are either closed at their lower ends, or provided with ashoulder for a plug, R, in each case to rest upon, forslling the same.

These plugs are for the purpose of giving a smooth or plain interiorsurface to the top, and for giving depressions or r-oncavities therein,where the sockets are located, and, in the one case, are constructed atone end with a smooth or plain and in the other with a concave or hollowend, or, in each plug, with both a plain and concave end. l

d, a screw inserted in one end of plugs R, by the screwing of which inand out of the plugs, they can be shortened or lengthened, as it were,in the socket, for adjusting the plane of their ends, at thetable-surface, with regard thereto.

In case the plugs have one end iiat and the other concave, they are madein two parts, transversely to their length, joined together by ascrew-rod fixed in one and screwing into the other, to enable them to belengt-hened and shortened for their proper adjustment, relative to thetable-surface.

The object of the plugs, and of the sockets in the table-top to receivethem, is to enable thetable-surface to be changed for use, either as abilliard-table or a croquet-board, Ste., provided the necessary xturesare located, or for use as a bagatelle-board, by simply changing theplugs from plain to concave ends, or vice tersa, and, in the latterinstance, additionally, by inserting a circular board or strip, T, atthe end where the cavities are located.

It may he here remarked, that, to more perfectly adapt the table forplaying billiards, its side-bearings should be provided with properconstructed cushions, pockets not being absolutely necessary; and that,also for locating the wickets, starting and home-stations, in the gameof croquet, it would be well to provide the interior table-surface withsockets P and plugs It, at

suitable points, for the wickets, Src., to be driven or screwed into f,small holes, continued from bottoni of sockets to lower side oftable-top.

Ihese holes are made so that a suitable instrument (seel WV, in thedrawings,) can be inserted to force the plugs out, when desired tochange them, for others, or

ordinary table, with the, additional ones of a croquet,4

or bagatelle, or billiard-table, &c., either all, or one or more,combined in one.

Having thus described my improvements in tables, I shall state myclaims, as follows:

What I claim as my invention, and desire to have secured to me byLetters Patent, is-

l. A table-top, constructed in sections, in combina' tion with asuitable frame-work or under-support, when the connection between thetwo is such that they can be relatively adjusted, by sliding the oneupon the other, substantially as described, for the purpose speciiied.

2. A table-top, made in sections, and each section so ,constructed as,when opened, to leave a raised bearing around its interior surface,substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. Atable-top, constructed in sections, with one hinged to the undersupporting-frame, when the latter is arranged for adjustment under theformer, or tabletop, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A table-top, constructed in sections, with their interior surfaceprovided'with sockets for the reception of plugs, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

5. The plugs It, for the sockets of the table, when Set forth.

W. A. CLARK.

Witnesses:

ALBELT W. BROWN, EDWIN W. BROWN.

